NOTTINGHAM FOREST U21 1-0 COVENTRY CITY U21
CITY: Burge, Phillips, Joe Henderson, Brown (Thomas 74), Malaga, Willis, Roberts, Lobjoit (Garner 46), Jeffers, Daniels, Baker-Richardson (Maund 56). SNU Haynes, Rankin
Forest: Darlow, Papworth, Fenton, Blake, Lascelles (Kamaneno 63), Regan, Gnahore, Moussi, Findley,Otim (Landu 70), Wallace. Subs Hollingsworth, Smith, Gregory.
HT NFFC 1-0 CCFC FT NFFC 1-0 CCFC ATT 62
Goal Robbie Findley 43
Referee N.Hopton
Man of The Match - Will Roberts took the votes
_________________________________________________________
Coventry City ended their U21 Development League 2 North fixtures for 2012 with a 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest.
Lee Carsley fielded Kevin Malaga, back from his loan at Nuneaton Town in defence and pushed Reece Brown into the midfield alongside Leon Lobjoit. He also had fit again Conor Thomas on the bench for the first time.
At Forest's impressive Wilford Lane training facility on an afternoon of changeable weather, City got straight on the attack with a Shaun Jeffers shot going so wide that it went for a throw in.
Leon Lobjoit, who is at City until January, lost the ball in the fourth minute, allowing Guy Moussi to get in a shot which flew well wide of Lee Burge's goal.
Burge was the busier of the two keepers and he was called into action in the ninth minute when he used his legs to deflect a Robbie Findley shot for a corner from which Blake lashed onto the grass bank behind the goal.
The wind was starting to howl round the pitch as Arron Phillips attacked in the 15th minute and crossed from the right. In came Courtney Baker-Richardson with a diving header but he did not get any real direction and the chance went begging.
Wilfred Gnahore had been a threat in the U18 game on Saturday and today he continued to be a big thorn in City's side. As the likes of former Carlisle and Cheltenham boss John Ward and former City loanee Steve Sutton watched on, he chipped in a shot which was deflected for a corner and then forced Burge into a save, after Reece Brown had drilled a free kick wide at the other end.
In the 31st minute, Forest attacked and Blake struck Burge's left hand post with a shot from range.
Will Roberts, did his best to get City attacking by providing the ammunition from a couple of free kicks but they were not seized upon and in the 43rd minute, it came as no surprise that Forest took the lead when Robbie Findley was allowed space and time inside the area to get in a shot from eight yards and slip the ball past the helpless Burge.
Louis Garner was sent on for the second half and City were nearly two down, four minutes after the restart when Fenton got down the left and sent over a ball which looped over Burge and clipped the bar.
Ben Maund was the second City youngster to be brought on and he added a bit of life up front. Maund helped to win a corner but that was easily dealt with and Forest went up the other end with Findley getting the ball inside the area and turning only to fire into the side netting.
Kevin Malaga, who won all of his headers, had a go with a 25 yarder and Brown fed Garner in the 68th minute for a shot which Darlow had to parry away.
In the 74th minute, there was the welcome sight of Conor Thomas back in a City shirt. Thomas, played some decent balls and helped City win a corner from which Roberts fired at Darlow.
Four minutes later, Ben Maund raced through and sent a dipping shot just over. However, that was the last of the City sortees on goal. and although Forest through Findley and Gnahore had chances late on, the home side had done enough to condemn City to a defeat.
Report copyright of Covsupport News Service and not be to used in part or full by anyone writing for Coventry City's matchday programme unless the article author is fully credited.
Pictures copyright of Covsupport News Service. Credit CNS/KM